Benjen Barrowstark
'''Benjen Barrowstark '''is Lord of Barrowtown and head of House Barrowstark. Appearance and Character Long brown flowing hair, and well trimmed facial hair appear upon his well defined face. He has grey blue eyes and is built in the body just enough to be able to wield his two handed greatsword which he carries on his back with him at all times when not at home or at court. History Rickon Barrowstark, formerly Rickon Stark. Granted the title Lord of Barrowton along with a marriage to Wylla Umber thereby creating a new cadet branch of the Starks to go alongside those that came before. Like the Karstarks of Karhold and their rise from the main line of Stark, Barrowton has continued to prosper under the governance of its new lords. Rickon began his rulership with a dream, a dream to create a port town in Barrowton to link the ports of the western side of Westeros directly to the North. It took nearly the rest of his life to raise the necessary funds to complete such a momentous task but he succeeded. Sadly he would never see his dream become a reality, passing away in the year 361 AC, Rickon left a Barrowton in a time of change to his first and only son, Brandon. His reign began with a marriage a good Northern woman, Wylla. It would be some years before his first child was born. Sickly and with complication, Jon Barrowstark was brought into the world in 372 AC and just as quickly left it behind. 373 AC, a mere year into his life, Jon Barrowstark died of pneumonia, leaving Brandon and house Barrowstark without an heir. Three years would pass and a few miscarriages before Brandon and Wylla would have another child survive childbirth, Benjen Barrowstark, born in 376 AC Benjen was born of good health, much to his fathers relief. In that same year Brandon saw to it that he finished his fathers work, he rejoiced at the completion of that dream that began with the founding of house Barrowstark and would move his court and family to the new keep built on top of a hill, overlooking the new port town of Barrowton. The new home an seat of House Barrowstark worked well for the family as in the years that followed, Brandon and Wyllas attempts for more children were successful, Brandon was sure that it must have been a curse upon the old keep in which they resided that prevented them from joy with their lives. In 378 AC, Wylla gave Brandon the greatest sign of future prosperity for his family, Rickon and Ciara were born, twins were in Brandons eyes a good sign of things better yet to come. In 382 AC Brandons final child was born, Rickard Barrowstark came into the world wailing as Maester Ortegon wrapped him in a blanket to protect him from the chill in the air. Unfortunately it would be the end of Wyllas life, though not venerable in age, her health during her final pregnancy had dwindled and the flicker of life still in her passed to Rickard. It was then that Brandon became distant with the world. Maester Ortegon had been close to Benjen since his birth, Brandon had insisted upon it when he still cared for such things. After being unable to prevent the death of Jon, Brandons first son, Ortgeon had seen to it that Benjen had every detail of his health checked regularly, this lead to Benjen running into the port town and playing with the kids in the streets more often than not to get away and to see the world, this would lead to his first encounter with his then and future companion. It was on an excursion in 386 AC, at ten years of age, Benjen and his friends of more common birth ventured into the woods nearby. The day passed by in what seemed like a blink of the eye for those present and as the night rolled in, so the darkness overtook them. For one those so tender in age, the woods at night were a haunting place to be, the group that had entered had dispersed and all that remained in the woods were Benjen and the daughter of the local blacksmith, Lyra. Huddled together as they stumbled through the darkness back home, noises came from all shadows. Benjen was the first to notice it, but from on those shadows a light and sorrowful whining came to Benjens ears, following it to its source the two stumbled upon and helpless pup, its mother nowhere in sight the pup came to Benjens feet and pawed at his leg to beg for aid. It was then that Benjen met his companion, Ubb. When finally the three had escaped the woods, all that remained for Benjen was to take Lyra home and try to persuade Ortegon to allow him to keep Ubb, The first part ended with Benjens first kiss. Lyra, the blacksmiths daughter, had taken a likening to Benjen, and likewise Benjen to Lyra for at 10, a childs mind thinks not of the future. The second part didn't take as much effort as Benjen thought, Ortegon liked the idea of Benjen keeping and raising the pup, he saw it as a chance to keep Benjen at the keep more, this of course didn't go to plan. In the years that followed, Benjen would by day, take care of Ubb, learning more and more about the animal he had saved, as it turned out, Ubb was a larger than average attack dog, his markings and stature hinting to a subtle relation to lesser direwolves, the ancestral animal of the Starks whom Benjen was a descendant of, he would also study under the Maester who since 359 AC who at the age of 30 became Maester for Rickon Barrowstark, Benjens grandfather. He would learn how to read and write properly, proper etiquette and all the courtly skills that were required of a lord. In the absence of his fathers guidance, Benjen studied under the master at arms for swordplay, being built of more than his father and siblings, Benjen favoured the two-handed greatswords. Every year having a new sword forged by Lyras father to keep with his height and build, meant that Benjen and Lyra would see each other more than when Benjen had to sneak out of the keep at night to see her. Under the nose of Ortegon, Benjen and Lyras love bloomed and in the year 392 AC under the stars and in the woods where first they bonded, they consummated their love for one another. Lyra fell pregnant with Benjens child that night. Discovering this had caused quite a bit of concern for Ortegon who had watched over Benjen like a father due to Brandons lack of care for the world or those in it. To save face, Ortegon appointed Lyra to be handmaid to Benjens younger sister, Ciara, however the damage was done. The people knew of the parentage of the child inside of Lyras womb and late in the year she gave birth to a son, Domeric Snow. To keep from more bastards being born to Benjens foolish love for a common girl, he made arrangements for Benjen to wed an Umber girl, Myriame Umber, a girl four years younger than Benjen but maturing at an alarming pace. It would be those four years in difference of age before the two were betrothed were married. The beginning of their marriage was a challenge, to say the two got on was a stretch, the pair tolerated each other, Myriame knew of Benjens bastard and love of another woman but tried not to let it get in the way of her duty, in the year that followed, 397 AC, she gave Benjen his first legitimate son, he named him Jon, for his fathers lost first born son. After the birth of their son, Benjen and Myriame would rarely be seen together, only at official meetings and when required of him, would Benjen go to Myriame, all other times he spent with the woman who truly had his heart, Lyra. Brandon, Lord of Barrowton at the start of the year 398 AC, was falling more and more frail to his lack of love for life and shortly in, he passed away, he would be remembered as the man who fulfilled the wishes of his father, and changed the prosperity of his house for good, only to have his heart wither in an instant. Benjen, son of Brandon, son of Rickon, became the new lord of Barrowton. The weight of such a title suddenly dawned on him in the space of a week. Lyra, whom he had cared about deeply since he was 10, would have to be cast aside for the sake of what was now his house. When he broke the news to her, she accepted it, along with Benjens proposal that he set her up with a small estate nearby and be taken care of for the rest of her life and the promise that he would raise Domeric as if he were a legitimate Barrowstark. This pleased Benjens wife, Myriame, who had waited on the sidelines for Benjen to finally show her the proper attention she deserved. Since that time, Myriame and Benjen have been working on their marriage, Benjen more so, trying to write the wrongs of ignoring his wife since their son was born. Their marriage is now in a state of balance, neither one can forget the past but both wish to move forward into the future. Family * Myriame Barrowstark (Umber) (Wife) (380 AC) * Jon Barrowstark (Son of Myriame and Benjen) (397 AC) * Domeric Snow (Son of Lyra and Benjen) (392 AC) * Jon Barrowstark (Brother) (372 AC) * Rickon Barrowstark (Brother) (378 AC) * Ciara Barrowstark (Sister) (378 AC) * Rickard Barrowstark (Brother) (382 AC) Timeline * 376 AC - Benjen Barrowstark is Born to Lord Brandon Barrowstark and Lady Wylla. * 376 AC - The port town and keep that Rickon Barrowstark began constructing is finished, Brandon moves his family and court their to begin life a new. * 378 AC - Rickon and Ciara Barrowstark the twins are born. * 382 AC - Rickard Barrowstark is born at the expense of Lady Wyllas life who had suffered complications in childbirth, Lord Brandon begins isolating himself from the world. * 386 AC - Benjen and friends take a trip to the woods nearby, their he meets Ubb, at the time a young pup, he and his friend Lyra bring it back to town. Their Benjen receives his first kiss from Lyra and once home is also allowed to keep Ubb. * 386 AC - Benjen learns of Ubbs species, training and raising him as the pup grew. * 386 AC - Benjen in this year also, begins to study sword play, taking to the two handed greatswords in the armoury. * 392 AC- Benjen and Lyras love is consummated in the woods were they first discovered their feelings of each other. * 392 AC - Lyra gives birth to Benjens bastard child, Domeric Snow. She is given a place in court as Ciaras handmaid. * 392 AC - Following the birth of his bastard, Ortegon, Maester of Barrowton, makes arrangements for Benjen to be betrothed to Myriame Umber. * 396 AC - Benjen and Myriame are wed before the weirwood for all to see. * 397 AC- Myriame gives birth to Benjens first legitimate son, Jon. Benjen begins to shun his wife, now that he has an heir and spends more time with Lyra, his true love. * 398 AC - Lord Brandon Barrowstark, the recluse, passes away of poor health, leaving Benjen to become the new Lord of Barrowton. * 398 AC- Realising the weight of his lordship, Benjen arranges for Lyra to leave his court and live on an estate where she would be taken care of, Domeric stay at court to be raised as if he were a legitimate son. * 398 AC - Benjen begins trying to fix things with his wife Myriame. Things look on the up as the two try to move forwards, away from the past of their poor start to married life. Category:Northerner Category:House Barrowstark